Breadcrumb trail

1950-Able

Hurricane Able--the first Atlantic tropical cyclone in the era of “named storms”--made landfall on the morning of August 21 just west of Halifax, Nova Scotia, as a tropical storm with winds of 65 km/h. Able also made landfall over Newfoundland as a tropical depression with winds of 55 km/h on August 22.

Hurricane Able was discovered just east of the Lesser Antilles on August 12, 1950. Able grew to a category four hurricane with winds of 222 km/h. When Able entered the CHC Response Zone on August 20, it was still a category three hurricane with 195 km/h winds, but it weakened quickly. It entered Canadian waters as a marginal category one hurricane shortly after midnight on the morning of the 21, and made landfall just west of Halifax, Nova Scotia, later that morning as a tropical storm. High winds were reported from portions of the Maritimes as Able underwent extratropical transition and the official maximum wind strength is lower than many of the individual reports. In addition, heavy rain fell throughout Nova Scotia. Flooding, power outages, and damage to the apple crops were reported in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Roads and bridges were also washed away. Two children died when their raft was overturned. Able dissipated on August 22.

Caused flooding throughout Nova Scotia (CDD)

Nova Scotia

August 22, 1950

Winds of 160 km/h were recorded in Halifax (TJ)

In Debert, 81 mm of rain fell (TJ)

More than 125 mm of rain fell in the Annapolis Valley (HH)

One boat was carried out to sea and many others were smashed against the shore in Canada Creek (HH)